HELP..Please tell me what to do...

[Woopigchick]

I was GIVEN a hardware store 4-way drop test kit and also a HTH 6-way kit. I have ordered a TF-100 to arrive later this week.
In the mean time, my baby pooped in the pool yesterday afternoon while wearing a swim diaper. All solid matter seemed to be contained within her diaper or swimsuit, but I know it has to be in the water in some form.

Without having a good test kit, I obviously can't do a SLAM the correct way. But I hated the idea of just letting the "stuff" lurk in my water for days until the kit arrives. After the accident yesterday I added 30oz of bleach. This brought my TC color off the chart (only reads to a 5) and to a orange color (like a safety cone in construction zone color). This morning TC had dropped back down to a dark yellow. And my counts were as follows:

TC: (as described above)
pH: 7.2
CYA: 45
Alk: 130
TH: 0

I have added 30 more ounces of bleach and 15 min later it was a orange/red color. I'm running the small pump/filter that came with the pool nonstop for now and put in a brand new filter this morning. I have also placed our gigantic patio umbrella over the pool to keep it shaded today. How should I proceed from here? I'm assuming our swimming is over for this holiday weekend. Grrrrrrr....

 

[woodyp]

I'd say you're still GOOD TO GO! Your SLAM value is 16 for your CYA level. 30 ounce addition added 12 FC to what you already had----then you hit it again. With no "floating" material, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Woopigchick]

Ok great. Thank you so much. So now I guess we just need to wait for the Chlorine level to drop in order to get back in the pool? What color should I be watching for on my TC results to be okay swimmer-wise?

 

[woodyp]

Jump in--safe to swim up to SLAM value for your CYA level.

 

[pooldv]

Yep, chlorine level is set based on CYA level and the Chlorine CYA Chart. Anytime you have any "issues" just run it up close to SLAM level then test and take it back up 2-3 hours later to make sure it is holding OK. If not, dose it again in a couple more hours. You should test after little kids swim anyway because they are probably peeing anyway and that will use up some chlorine. It is safe to swim when FC is between minimum and shock level.

Now, go

 

[Woopigchick]

Thanks everyone!!!!

 

[singingpond]

Given that the OP has only an OTO test kit, and we don't know how accurate the reported CYA level of 45 is, I would hesitate to tell her and family to hop into the pool with OTO showing orange/red, as reported.

Original poster, take a look at this thread

OTO test for higher chlorine levels

to see approximately what your test is telling you about chlorine level, and wait until you are below the shock level shown on the chlorine CYA chart that others have linked. Shock FC for CYA 40, for example, is 16.

 

[Woopigchick]

Ok, thanks for your input. According to what I read in that thread my chlorine is still reading about 25. I had already decided not to chance it with the baby today until it came down some more, but my husband and toddler are in the pool now. I will share what I've learned with him. With the little ones, I'd always rather be on the cautious side. Thank you! As always.. ANY input from all of you is appreciated so much.

 

[Richard320]

I'd agree with Woody. The amount of bleach added should have killed anything. The CYA test is probably the same chemistry as the TF100 or the K-2006 so I'd trust the results on that. According to my own experimenting when I was dealing with high CYA and water restrictions, Blinding tweety bird yellow is about 10. School bus yellow is about 12-13. Hunter orange is around 18, up around 25 it starts to look pumpkin orange. 18 FC is plenty high for 45 CYA. The water was otherwise clear, and there were no floaters in the water.